The Last War Against Voldemort
by ArtImitatesSex
Summary: Two unknown wizards get the surprise of their lives when they are caught inbetween the war with Voldemort. Takes place in Harry's 6th year. Please read and review!
1. Raven Hair and a Sallow Disposition

Chapter 1. Raven Hair and a Sallow disposition.

The room was cold, drafty, and yet, oddly comfortable. It seemed like an ordinary room. When you take a glance, you sson realize that it is a dormitory. Judging by the posters of male actors and the colorful bed sheets, you see that it is a girls dormitory.

Though, something is out of place. A flash of light suddenly fills the room. However, just as quickly as it came, it disappeared again. Moments later, another flash of light. A voice calls out:

"Will you stop it already! It's past 2 am!" A girls voice. British. Around the age of 17. There is a sigh, from the other side of the dormitory. Finally, you see her.

Long, silky black hair, with a black rose tucked behind her ear. Her face pale, but beautiful. She puts down her wand and looks in the other girls direction.

"Sorry Rebecca. Good night." she says. Her voice is low-pitched, but still feminane. Along her full bottom lip, are three black dots, the mark of a witch with telekinetic abilities. Along her left eye, is the Eye of Ra. Tattooed in black.

This will need to be explained. Of course.

In the wizarding world, the Eye of Ra manes something completly different. It is the symbol of an orphaned witch. though most orphan witches and wizards choose not to show their status in such a public manor. However, she has a reason, a reason that her classmates and professors know all too well.

**:Flashback:**

Its the first rise of the Dark Lord Voldemort. This girl, with the black hair and pale skin, was only two years old. The daughter of two well known wizards. In the span of one peaceful evening, inside the small home, both of her parents were brutally murdered by the Dark Lord himself. The nieghbors saw a huge skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth hovering above the house. The Dark Mark. Some important members of the Order of the Phoenix stormed into the house, only to find blood and gore with each footstep.

One man, inperticular, heard a small cry coming from the hall closet. He opened the door and got on his knees. He had raven colored hair that went down to his chin and a crooked nose. He peered inside the closet and saw a small girl. Tear stained cheeks and fright in her eyes. The man spoke softly and offered her his hand. After moments, she took it.

"My name is Severus Snape. Dont be afraid." His voice was deep, practically monotone.

"I'm Rowan. Rowan Rose." She said, her voice full of trembles.

"You're safe now, Rowan." She stood and followed the man out of the blood stained house.

**:End Flashback.:**

That was how the dreams always went. She would fall asleep in her dormitory, with thoughts of studies flying through her head. But this night was different. She didnt dream about the night of her parents murder, she dreampt of something that frightened her much more.

So frightening that she woke suddenly, in silence. She didnt scream out for her gaurdian. She just opened her eyes, looked around the room and sat up. Her fellow students asleep in their beds. A book titled, "Occlumency for Beginners" lay at her feet.

She slowly climbed out of bed. She wore a red, "Wierd Sisters" tank top and black sweat pants. Her body was slightly trembling.

She walked out of the dormitory into the cold dungeon halls. The stoned walls were covered in lit torches and tapistries covered with images of snakes. She walked quietly through the corridors, passing the entrance to the boys dormitories. She was quiet, because it was after hours. Not that getting caught this late by a prefect would really get her into trouble anyway. You'll see why.

She finally arrived at the large oak door. the metal door-knocker was a carved snake holding the knocker in its mouth. She took it into her hands and knocked twice, quietly. After waiting a few seconds, she got no reply.

She turned the handle, the door was open, so she walked in.

The room was musty, nothing like the dormitory. This room was very familiar to her, she felt safe inside. The walls wre covered, from floor to ceiling, with shelves. They held numerous things. Jars full of wolfsbane and rose petals. Also, books beyond count. Mostly about Potions, astrology and other such mystical subjects.

As she tip-toed about the room, she finally catches sight of him. Pale face, raven hair that matched her own, crooked nose. A black robe covering his body. A man from the past. Severus.

Older now, wrinkles showing the age on his face. He is asleep, on his office chair, in front of his desk. Cluttered with papers with low grades marked on them. Also, a quill, lying next to its bottle of Dragons Blood ink.

"Severus..." She whispers, however, he doesnt stir.

"Severus!" She says a bit louder, and finally, his eyes open only an inch.

"I thought you would have come sooner, Rowan." He says, his deep voice echoing throughout the tight spaces of his office.

"Not sleeping well?" He asked before she could comment. She smiled a bit and sat down on the opposire side of his desk.

"I was studying. Sir." Rowan said, she pushed a grip of her hair behind her ears. Severus studied her face, trying to read her eyes. As they looked at each other, Rowan swore she saw the beginning of a smile around the corners of his lips.

You see, this man is not the kind of man to just smile.

**Severus Snape.**

Potions professor and Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

A very pale, sallow looking man, with an unhappy disposition. The only time anyone ever saw a glimmer of contentment or possibly...happiness- was when he was with this particular girl. For a good reason as well.

After the death of her parents, she became a wizarding orphan, thus getting the Eye of Ra tattooed onto her young flesh. Ultimatly, the only person willing to take her in, with this man. Out dear old, Potions Professor.

Now, she sits before him.

"I see. Occlumency I hope." Severus said. She nodded in silence.

" Did you have another nightmare?" He asked her. This is was it worked everynight. All she did was nod. He nodded back as well.

"But...it wasnt about my parents..." She said, quietly. Severus looked surprised. Almost, completly perplexed.

"Oh...and what did you dream about?" He asked. Rowan looked at her hands, fiddling her fingers around each other. A nervous habit. Finally...she looked up into the black eyes of her gaurdian.

"It was about Deakon."


	2. Your visits are too seldom

Chapter 2: Your visits are too seldom.

A boy, well not really a boy, more of a man in a appearance (a boy in his actions) strolled into the Leaky Cauldron around eight pm. He looked about himself, there was an old man sitting along in the corner and a young man reading a book in the opposite corner.

"Dead tonight, Tom?" He asked as he walked past the bar man.

"Eye" Tom said, in more of a grunt than a word.

The young man sat alone, at a small, secluded table and ordered a pint of Fire Whiskey. He took a gulp and forced it down. Tomorrow was going to be a long day of traveling; he wanted to have some good-natured fun tonight. For now…he was waiting.

The man had short dirty blonde, almost light brown hair. It was unkempt and going any way it wanted. He had black linings of charcoal along the bottoms of his eyes, which gave him a very menacing look. His face was adorned with wooden piercing. One through his septum that was used by the Druids in the woodlands of Bulgaria to show their worthiness with the Arts. Two through either side of his bottom lip. They were referred to as Snake Bites because he was a Parsel Tongue; also that he was an animagus. Also, his ear-lobs were slightly stretched, meaning to the Druids that he was skilled at Occlumency. However, the most unusual thing about this man was that his eyes were the iciest blue you would ever see. Some even said it was practically silver. One look into them and you felt like you could be there for hours.

"Deakon!" Someone called his name from across the room. He looked up and saw whom he was waiting for. A man with shaggy brown hair and eyes to match. He had one thick bar through the middle of his eyebrow. It meant nothing, just there for fun. Deakon stood to give his friend a long, loving hug.

"Nazz." You see, these two are practically the best of friends. Always have been since they met each other at the Durmstrang Academy. What you have to understand is that Deakon wasn't always enrolled in the Durmstrang Academy. He isn't even Bulgarian. He originally went to Hogwarts, and was in Ravenclaw house. However, after a playful spat with Fred Weasley turned into a fistfight in his second year, he was expelled and sent to Durmstrang. Where he met Nazz.

"Deakon, man…I cant believe you're staying in this bump!" Nazz said, as he looked around the tavern. He didn't notice the look he got from Tom.

"Excuse me…The Leaky Cauldron is not a dump." Deakon said, laud enough so that Tom could hear him defending his favorite tavern.

"Whatever. I thought we were going to Hogsmeade anyway." Nazz said, as they both sat down at the table. Deakon took another large sip of his Fire Whiskey.

"We are, but the train doesn't leave until tomorrow morning. So, were sleeping here tonight." Deakon caught the look on his friends face. "Unless, you prefer walking there, go on…I'll give you a head start."

"Don't be an ass. This place is just…" Nazz trailed off.

"Comfortable?" Deakon finished.

"I was gonna say dirty…" Nazz said, rolling his eyes at Deakon, who gave him one of his signature smirks.

"Well, lets go upstairs and get some sleep." Deakon said as he quickly finishes his drink and he starts to walk away from the table to the rickety wooden staircase.

"Are you kidding me, its only 11:30. There's so much to do tonight, lets go-"

"It's the full moon. We stay in." Deakon said flatly. Nazz knew that tone, when Deakon took that tone, you could fight him on the subject. There were a lot of things about Deakon that people didn't know, except for two people. One of them being Nazz. They other, his cousin and best friend in the world.

**Rowan Rose.**

The walked up the creaky stairs toward room 12. The room was dusty and smelled like old men. Deakon didn't like the smell, but he could handle it for one night. Just as Deakon and Nazz settled into their beds to try and get a good nights sleep. They heard a soft tapping on their window. Nazz stood and opened the window and a jet-black owl flew into the room. It settled on the bedpost with a letter attached to its leg.

"It's Constantine." Nazz said to Deakon.

"Rowan?" Deakon said out loud, not really to anyone. He hadn't heard from his dear cousin in a few weeks, which was deathly out of character. She was usually so eager to talk to him.

Deakon stood and took the letter from the owl, which hooted and waited for his usual treat. Deakon ignored the small owl and went directly into reading Rowan's letter.

_ Dear Deakon,_

_ Sorry about not writing to you lately. School has been weighing down on me a lot these past few weeks. Plus, the nightmares aren't helping. I'm studying Occlumency like you said I should. I don't get it much, but I will keep trying. Are you going to be at Hogsmeade still this weekend? If you are, you know where I'll meet you._

_ Love Always,_

_ Rowan_

"So what did she write?" Nazz asked with excitement. Deakon just sat on the edge of the four-poster bed.

"Talked about school and asked if I was still going to Hogsmeade this weekend." Deakon said, soundly a bit disappointed.

"She hasn't written to you in practically a month, and that's all she says?" Nazz asked, quite disappointed himself. "I mean, her letters are usually short novels. That was hardly a paragraph. What's with that?" Nazz finished. Deakon looked deep in thought as he made the rings in his lips twist around.

"Something's not right. We'll ask her about it tomorrow when we arrive in Hogsmeade." Deakon said as he climbed back into bed. Although, Nazz knew that Deakon wasn't as all right as he was saying he was.

In fact, Deakon was very protective of Rowan. She was in her seventh and last year of Hogwarts and was excelling. She wanted to become an Auror, just like her father had been. Or so, Severus told her. Deakon was already out of school. Spending much of his time exploring the Arts of Druids, living in forests of Europe. His family lived in London, but he hadn't seen them in years. Described Deakon as being "expendable".

He was in fact, a very skilled wizard. He was excellent at Occlumency and Astrology. He knew how to perform all the Unforgivable Curses (though never used them!) and in his sixth year he became a gifted (yet unregistered) Animagus. 

When he learned he could transform himself into a ferret, with bandit like markings on his face, he immediately wrote to Rowan to tell her about how to do it. She mastered it within weeks and was surprised to see that her Animagus form was also a bandit ferret. Of all black color. Every time Deakon mastered a new magical ability he wrote to Rowan and taught her how to do it.

The next day, Deakon and Nazz packed up their things and got on the train to Hogsmeade at Kings Cross Station. Muggles passed every which way and didn't pay much attention as wizards of all sorts ran right through a brick wall to get to Platform 9 ¾. Once they arrived in Hogsmeade they would make straight to the Hogs Head to meet up with Rowan in the wizarding village.


	3. Memories of the Future

An alarm rings.

Moments after it started, it was stopped. A hand, with delicate pale fingers and red nails, hits the snooze button. Just a few more minutes of sleep. The women that the hands belong to quickly falls asleep once again. The nightmare she was having before her alarm sounded started back where it had stopped.

**She heard the voice yell. Screaming more like it. She looked around herself, frantically looking at everyone in the small, damp room. **

**"I swear, put him down now!" A boy with shaggy black hair yelled. Circular glasses resting on his nose and a lightening blot scar on his forehead. Harry Potter. "Let him go!"**

**"Or you'll what, Potter?" A male voice sounded back at Harry. She turned to her head to see who it was. Right, she remembers now. Gregory Goyle. He took the Dark Mark during the last year at Hogwarts. He had his wand out and had someone by the neck. George. George Weasley. **

**"Don't test me, Goyle. Let George go! Now!" He said, trying to sound brave, but she knew he was just as scared as everyone else in the room. They all had their wands out, pointing at Goyle.**

**"What? You don't have the guts to use the killing curse. You're perfect little Potter, wouldn't hurt a fly." Goyle said with a hearty laugh. His gut moving around. George eyes were flying around, looking at everyone in the room, waiting for the one person who will step up to save him.**

**He had been used as bait. Goyle and one other Death Eater had kidnapped him while he was working a long night at the twins' joke shop. Ransoming him to the Order, all so they could lure Harry Potter to them. What they didn't realize was that Harry would bring back-up. Lots of it. So, there they stood. Harry, Ronald Weasley, George's younger brother. Fred, the other half of the twins. Hermione stood to his right. Next to her stood Rowan Rose, seventh year Slytherin. On the other side of the room was Deakon Darconis, Rowan's cousin, who graduated the year before from Durmstrang. And standing to his right was Neville Longbottom. They had Goyle cornered. Everyone was waiting for his next move. He was nervous, everyone could tell. Sweat dripped off his nose like a leaky faucet. Everyone looked back and forth to Harry, thinking that he would be the one to make the first move. He did.**

**"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted loudly. Almost immediately Goyle's wand shot out of his hand. He released his grip on George, you ran to the other side of the room, with his rescuers. Goyle was forced to slump against the corner wall. Harry slowly walked up to him. Fire fuming from his eyes. Until he was standing right in front of Goyle.**

**Suddenly, Goyle began to laugh. It started small and then grew into wild laughter. Everyone looked at him, wondering what gave him the sudden urge to laugh.**

**"You don't have the guts…" He said, straight to Harry's face. Some people say that they actually saw Harry smile for a split second. The air felt empty as Harry lifted his wand.**

**"Avada Kedavra!"**

Rowan awoke; panic stricken. The gleam of sweat was residing along her hair line. She pushed her jet black hair out of her face. It was morning, and time to see Deakon for the first time in 8 months.


	4. Of Lies and Blood

Rowan jumped out of her four poster bed and started to choose what to wear that day. Her heart all aflutter. As she was getting dressed her classmates were slowly getting up as well. Minutes later, they were all racing up the dungeon steps into the Great Hall, awaiting Professor McGonagall and Filch. Rowan took her time, she didn't really know if Deakon was going be there or not, she hadn't gotten a reply when Constantine returned last night.

She made her way into the Slytherin Common Room, and as she passed the boys dormitory, she ran full force into something solid. A person.

When she looked up to see who she ran into, she realized that she hadn't run into just anyone. She had run into him.

Draco Malfoy.

Slytherin Prince to the bone and devilishly handsome. Also, Rowan's Ex. The shock of the collision passing quickly, Rowan regained her composer. She brushed dust off of her sweater's sleeve, and gave Draco a big smile. He didn't smile back.

"Draco, you scared me. You weren't at dinner last night. Where were you?"

Draco and Rowan had a complicated history. They were never officially dating. It was during Rowan's fifth year, and Draco's fourth. They started secretly seeing each other. Not letting anyone know was cake for Draco, but it was a constant struggle for Rowan. She wanted to tell her friends all the time. Draco always convinced her otherwise, saying that it would ruin everything. She thought it just excited him to have a secret relationship.

Then, a week before the end of second term, Draco found out the worst. Rowan was a muggle-born. He felt disgusted with himself for falling for filth, and quickly broke up with her. Since then, they have avoided each other. For nearly two years.

"That's none of your business, Mudblood." Draco said with malice dripping from his words. Rowan tried not to show her hurt, but she flinched and this made Draco smile. He walked away, leaving Rowan all alone in the common room. She took a moment to compose herself and then left to go to the Great Hall.


	5. Beside You

After about an hour of traveling, the school arrived at Hogsmeade and they were allowed to go where they wanted. Rowan walked alone, down the windy streets until she reached the edge, where the trees made their own border. Most students didn't bother going past the trees, but Roan kept on walking. There was a faint trail on the ground. After a few moments of following this trail, Rowan stopped at the opening. Far off, in the distance was the Shrieking Shack, standing on a hill. This is where she would be meeting Deakon, if he chose to come.

She continued on and found a large boulder near the fence that separated Hogsmeade from the Shack. She took out a book and began to read while she waited to see if Deakon would show up.

About an hour later, she heard some rustling in the trees behind her. She turned to see if anyone was coming. At first, she didn't see anything, and then a small ferret, with bandit like markings on its face, emerged from the bushes. Rowan smiled wide when she saw this. The ferret took a few more steps towards her.

"Hello Deakon." Rowan said with a playful look on her face. When she looked at Deakon again, he was in his human form. Wearing a black sweater and jeans. He gave a small laugh as he walked over to the rock that Rowan was sitting on. The moment he sat down, Rowan slung her hand over his shoulder.

"Hope your travels were all good and well." Rowan said. Deakon only nodded.

"Where's Nazz?" Rowan asked. Noticing the absence of one of their good friends.

"Where else? Zonko's." Deakon said. Rowan nodded. When she turned to smile to Deakon, she noticed that his face wasn't smiling. He was frowning.

"Your letters. They've been kind of…"Deakon began, but was cut off.

"Brief? Yeah, I know. But, with school work and practicing Occlumency on the side, I hardly have time for anything else. I'm sorry…" Rowan said. The apology was quick but Deakon knew it was genuine. He knew that burden of school could be just that, a burden and he didn't want to guilt trip her for being a hard worker.

"So, how's Severus?" Deakon asked. Rowan just shrugged and fiddled with a button on her green sweater.

"Stressed. There was a kidnapping last week." Deakon's eyes widened at this. Rowan continued.

"Yeah…a third year Ravenclaw." She concluded. She exchanged a look with Deakon. He could tell she was worried. Ever since Harry Potter came to Hogwarts there has been weird occurrences. Students getting petrified, dementors on the grounds, people dying. Then, in her fifth year, he came back. Voldemort. He had killed Cedric Diggory, and almost killed Harry himself. Ever since then, everyone has been on their toes, waiting for the next thing to happen.

"Was it Voldemort?" Deakon asked. Rowan stood up and pulled her sweater a bit tighter. She looked down at Deakon and nodded. He sighed and she started to walk away back towards Hogsmeade Village. Deakon got up quickly to follow her, calling out to her sine she was a considerable ways ahead of him.

"But, you haven't stopped the meetings?" He called. Rowan stopped in the middle of the wooded border and turned to him. Slightly smiling.

"No, we haven't stopped the meetings. Dumbledore's Army is still very active. For now." Rowan said, as she continued walking now that Deakon caught up to her a bit. The broke out of the woods and were greeted with the sight of Nazz walking towards them, just stepping out of Zonko's Joke Shoppe. A big bag in his arms. He saw Rowan and threw his arms around her.

"Hey Nazz." She said with happiness. The released their hug and the three of them walked down the main street of Hogsmeade to go get their favorite past time. Hot Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks.

The streets were full of Hogwarts students, and it made Deakon kind of nostalgic. He still had his Ravenclaw tie and scarf. Hell, sometimes he even went out with his scarf on, missing that feeling of House Pride. They didn't have houses in Durmstrang, everyone was united. Sometimes the school was the better for it. Sometimes it wasn't.

Finally, The Three Broomsticks was in sight. Just as they were about to enter the tavern when they heard an ever familiar voice flinging insults their way.

"Draco. Why are you lowering yourself to speak to a Mudblood, shouldn't you be off terrorizing some young Gryffindors?" Rowan said, impatience lacing her voice.

"I though that as his job?" Draco said as he looked at Deakon. Deakon knew his cousin's history with Draco and didn't like it much. However, he was the only one who could get Draco to shove off with just words.

"What do you want, Malfoy? I'm here for a drink, the last thing I was to deal with a pathetic little ferret like you." Deakon said as he took a step closer to Draco. He was almost a foot taller than the sharp faced boy. Deakon and Draco stood staring at each other for a few silent moments, until Draco rolled his eyes and walk away. Then, everyone took a relieving breath. Deakon opened the door for his friend and his cousin.

"He was so much easier to talk to when we were sleeping together." Rowan said, off hand as she walked into the musty tavern.

"If that's the case, I high encourage you two to start up again." Said Nazz.


	6. Butterbeer with a spot of Kidnapping

The Three Broomsticks was crowded as usual. Full of Hogwarts students and villagers. Rowan, Deakon and Nazz took up a secluded table in the back of the tavern. Rowan took a look around; she recognized a few of the kids sitting near her. She met eyes with a girl, her age with long black hair and light skin. Rowan waved at her, and she waved back.

"Who's that?" Deakon asked, looking at the girl and the boy she was sitting with. Rowan turned her attention to him.

"That's Virginia. She's a Ravenclaw in my year, and that's her boyfriend Jordan. He's in Ravenclaw too." Deakon took this all in, as Madame Rosmerta walked up to their table.

"What can I get you kids?" She said, as she waited for their orders.

"I'll get some Butterbeer." Rowan said as she smiled politely back up to their good-natured barmaid.

"Two Fire Whiskey's for us please." Deakon said, ordering for himself and Nazz. Madame Rosmerta smiled up at him and then walked away to go and get their drinks. Deakon noticed the far off look in Rowan's eyes.

"Rowan? You all right? You look a thousand miles away right now." Deakon said, as she turned to look at him.

"I'm thinking about that third year…I'm…I'm trying to imagine my life without Voldemort." Rowan managed to say before Madame Rosmerta came back with their drinks. Rowan took a big sip of her hot Butterbeer.

"Why bother?" Deakon said, taking a swig of his Fire Whiskey and forcing it down.

"Why wouldn't I? I want to remember my parents. What it was like to be with them." Rowan said with conviction.

"You were two years old Rowan. Maybe you could talk to Potter; he'll teach you some new tricks. Open up your mind maybe?" Deakon said with a laugh.

"That's not funny." Rowan said. She always heard stupid trash about Harry, people didn't understand him. So, she always defended him, even if he didn't know she did. Deakon and Nazz stopped laughing when Rowan told them too. Deakon looked up, away from Rowan's disapproving face and saw a girl he was happy to see.

"Luna! Hey doll, how are you?" Deakon said as he met eyes with the spacey blonde. Luna Lovegood. She was wearing a grey overcoat with her Ravenclaw scarf. Her wand was stuck behind her ears, a trait that the three of them found endearing.

"Hey Deakon, Rowan." Said Luna as she sat down next to Deakon. Luna was in her fifth year at Hogwarts, two years under Rowan. Rowan didn't mind of course, she preferred Luna over a lot of the other students. She always had a lot to say, even if Rowan didn't believe half of it. Deakon, of course, loved her spacey and random behavior. She reminded him a lot of himself.

"Luna, this is Nazz." Deakon said, pointing at Nazz. Luna waved at him and turned her attention back to Deakon.

"Where have you been Deakon, I haven't seen you in a long time?" Luna said, gazing her grey eyes onto his icy blue ones. He gave her his charming smile and he shrugged.

"Here and there." He said. She smiled at him and they continued their conversation for the majority of the Hogsmeade trip. Little did they know that something much larger and more sinister was going on right in that very village.

Lynn Moller was walking just out of the Hogs Head, into one of the more secluded back alleys. She was late at meeting her best friend Virginia at the Three Broomsticks. She wrapped her scarlet and gold scarf around her neck and picked up her pace. She heard a crack come from behind her. She stopped and looked behind her quickly, but only saw shop windows and advertisements for stores littered around the alley. There was no one there. She laughed at her paranoia and began walking again. Then, she heard it again.

She didn't have time to turn around and look, because just seconds later a bag went over her head. She screamed, but the downside of being in a uncrowned alley, was that no one would hear her. She was pulled against her will, to another back alley. Seconds later, she was gone. With no witnesses, no one knew she was taken.

Later that evening, Rowan was lounging in the Slytherin common room. She thought over her day, as she wrote in her journal by the fire. Deakon and Nazz had decided to stay in Hogsmeade for a while, after the news he got from Rowan about the kidnapping of a Ravenclaw girl. Rowan was glad, now if she ever needed Deakon, he would be there. There were a few more Slytherin students sitting around the common room, including Draco. She noticed him acting off lately. She knew it wasn't because of her, or anything she did. He could care less.

Just as she glanced over to him, sitting with his friends, Severus walked through the entrance. Stern look on his face. She smiled; she was the only one who wasn't afraid of him. He stood near the door, and immediately had everyone's attention.

"Listen closely because I am only saying this once. The next Hogsmeade weekend has been cancelled and the following rules are effective immediately." Snape said as he looked around, making sure everyone's eyes were on his.

"All students are to be in their common rooms by six o'clock every evening. No exceptions. You will also be escorted to classes by either teachers or prefects. Is that understood?" Snape asked, as he looked around the common room. Everyone looked confused, but he made no move to explain unless someone asked.

"Why the rules all of a sudden?" Rowan asked out loud. Severus looked at her, almost with an angry look on his face, but he wiped it away quickly when he looked at Rowan.

"If you must know, there has been another kidnapping." The room boomed with whispers. Everyone looked panicked. The only one who made no sound was Rowan. She took a sharp intake of breathe and looked up at Severus again.

"Who was it?" Rowan asked. The room grew silent, all longing to know the identity of the kidnapped.

"Lynn Moller. She was a seventh year-"

"Gryffindor." Rowan said quietly. Everyone looked at her, including Severus. He didn't nod, he didn't say anything. The room was silent, which gave it an eerie, cold feeling. Severus looked around the room, and then, without warning gave a swift exit.

Rowan heart sunk. This was the second kidnapping in a month and Rowan knew this girl. She never did anything wrong, why would someone want to hurt her. Rowan gathered up her things and went into her dormitory to drop them, haphazardly on her bed. Then, she gathered her cloak and scarf and went back into the common room, heading towards the exit when a shrill voice stopped her.

"Leaving so soon?" Draco called to her. She looked at him with loathing mapped on her face.

"Get over yourself, Draco." Rowan said as she turned her back to him and walked out of the common room. Leaving a stunned Draco behind.


	7. Invisible Scars

The air was stunningly cold in the dungeon corridors as she headed to Snape's office. She hugged her cloak closer to her as she neared the dark office door. However, when she reached it it was already open. Snape was nowhere inside. Rowan stood outside the empty office for a few more moments, trying to decide where to look for Snape next. She thought that he must be in the Teacher's Lounge, so she ran as quickly as she could through the dungeon corridors until she arrived at the corridor exit into the entrance of Hogwarts. She ran so quickly that she hardly noticed when she ran into someone.

As she fell over, she tried to look at who she ran into. And she realized that she couldn't. They were nowhere to be seen. Just as confusion set in, someone suddenly appeared right in front of her eyes. She had just seen Harry Potter strip off his Invisibility Cloak.

"Harry?" Rowan asked with amazement. She had heard of Invisibility Cloaks before but they were very rare nowadays, and seeing Harry with one was surprising. Although, it was Harry Potter, she thought, it seemed appropriate that he would have one. Harry however, looked positively horror struck. He didn't know what to say.

"Where are you going?" Rowan asked. Harry was glad she didn't question the Cloak; he didn't feel like explaining it right now. Especially to someone he didn't know very well.

"Nowhere." Harry stated quickly. A little too quickly. Rowan looked at him for a moment, not taking her eyes away from his.

"You're going to Hogsmeade." Rowan said quickly. Harry didn't know what to say, so he stayed silent. A small smile crept up onto Rowan's features.

"Do your friends know?" She asked. Harry looked up again to meet her emerald eyes. He shook his head and Rowan smiled a bit more.

"I'm coming with you." She said flatly. Harry looked surprised, but before he could get a word in, Rowan continued.

"I don't want to hear all your reasons why I shouldn't. I knew Lynn too, and as much as the return of Voldemort affects you, it affects me too." Rowan finished. Of course everyone knew Harry's story, but everyone knew Rowan's as well. They looked at each other for a few more moments, before Harry nodded. Then, she really smiled. He ushered her underneath the Invisibility Cloak and they started out of the castle.

Rowan felt a bit foolish underneath the cloak. It was an odd feeling, like she was floating just inches above the ground. They made their way through the outside corridors until they reached the One-Eyed Witch passageway.

"What are we doing here?" Rowan asked in a hoarse whisper. Harry looked at her and reached into his sweater pocket, and took out a piece of old parchment. Rowan gave him a quizzical look as Harry muttered, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' and words started to appear on the parchment. Rowan could barely make out the tiny moving words.

"It's a map of the whole school; I just have to make sure Filch isn't wandering about." Harry muttered as he studied the map. Seconds later he was muttering 'Mischief managed' and the writing disappeared.

"Wow." Rowan said in a whisper as Harry lifted his hand to the statue and her hump moved. Harry and Rowan had the hard task of getting through the statue without slipping out of the cloak. Minutes later, they were both inside the tunnel leading to Honeydukes. Rowan brushed off the dust she had on her black school cloak.

"Oh, forget it. It will just slow me down." She whispered as she took it off and left it in a pile next to Invisibility Cloak. She loosened her school tie as well. Harry agreed with her.

"That's probably the best idea; we have to run to Hogsmeade. It sort of takes a while to get there." He whispered to her, she nodded and they started off through the cramped tunnel.

Close to an hour later, the reached the tunnels end. They climbed up the ridiculous amount of steps until they reached the trap door. Slowly, so not to make much noise, they climbed through. They stood for a few moments; they stood, contemplating where they should start.

"If it was really Death Eaters that took Lynn, do you really think they would stick around?" Rowan asked. She already knew the answer to her own question, but having Harry's opinion would make it easier to take.

"No, I don't. We've to try though. This is the second kidnapping in a month. We both know the Ministry is hushing it up, saying that Voldemort had nothing to do with it." Harry said, with anger in his voice. He started to walk toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs into Honeydukes.

They tip-toed through the candy shoppe, trying to make as much little noise as possible. After all, the whole town was asleep, if they were heard they would be in major trouble. Not only with the school, but with the Ministry of Magic. Once they were outside of Honeydukes, Rowan started walking straight towards the Three Broomsticks.

"Wait. Where are you going?" Harry said in just above a whisper. Rowan turned towards him when she felt his arm pull her back by the elbow joint. She gave him a look that showed that he should have known the answer already.

"I'm going to the Three Broomsticks, to get Deakon." She said quickly, not being as quiet as she knew she should be. Harry let go of her elbow and gave her a confused look.

"Who?" He said, not whispering anymore.

"Deakon. He's my cousin. He's-"Harry interrupted.

"Listen, I don't think it's a good idea to bring more people into this." Harry explained with an impatient tone in his voice.

"I get why you're concerned, but Deakon knows a lot about the Dark Arts. If we are going to go run after Death Eaters, he could be a big help." Rowan explained. She watched as Harry stood before her, going over her statement. Slowly, he nodded.

"All right. But let's be quick." Harry said as they both headed towards the Three Broomsticks, trying to be quiet as possible. The arrived at the door leading into the tavern and Rowan pulled out her wand.

"Alohomora." She whispered quietly as the lock to the door sprang open. They pulled the cloak over them and slowly stepped into the tavern. It was dark, quiet and empty. Three things Rowan had never seen as attributes of the tavern. They slowly made their way towards the hall, leading to the stairs. They tiptoed up the stairs to where the rooms were. Once they got to the room that Deakon told Rowan they would be in, they walked in.

They noticed right away that Deakon and Nazz weren't in their beds. They were awake, already dressed and looking at the door as if it were a Boggart. There was an awkward moment of silence as the two boys stared at the door. Until Rowan pulled off the cloak. Nazz gave a slight jump of surprise, while Deakon just gave her a knowing smile.

"What are you doing?" Rowan asked, as she looked around at all the clothes sitting on the beds.

"My guess is exactly what you are doing." Deakon said with a smile as he finished buttoning his shirt. "We heard about Lynn, so were going to investigate." Deakon said, as he then pulled on his cloak and clasped the front buttons together. Rowan smiled a bit, she should have expected this from Deakon.

"I 'spect you're coming along, then?" Nazz asked as he finished putting on his cloak. Rowan smiled quickly and nodded and then looked over at Harry. Who hadn't said one word yet.

"Well then…Harry, this is Deakon and Nazz. Guys, this is Harry." She said. They didn't shake hands; they already knew who he was of course. They just gave each other acknowledging nods.

"So, let's go then." Deakon said as he walked past Rowan and Harry and exits the room. Followed by Nazz. Rowan and Harry exchanged a glance and got underneath the cloak.

It felt as if they had been searching for clues for hours. With the silence and the darkness they didn't exactly know what time it was either. Both Deakon and Nazz were traveling in their Animagus form. Deakon; a ferret and Nazz; a thin, orange Tabby cat. Rowan really wanted to travel in her Animagus form as well. It would make the search go a lot faster, but she didn't want Harry to be left behind in his Invisibility Cloak. It felt stuffy underneath the cloak, but they pushed on. Looking in every possible place for clues of Lynn's kidnapping. The dirt underneath their feet, alleyways, even sneaking into some of Shoppe's that Lynn liked. Until eventually, there was no where left to look.

Rowan and Harry watched Deakon and Nazz who were a few feet ahead of them. Rowan turned to look at Harry, who had a defeated look on his face. However, they caught sight of Deakon scurrying towards the woods. They ran to follow him until they came to the clearing. The sounds of the Shrieking Shack in the background. Rowan and Harry took off the cloak as they came to the spot that Deakon had stopped at. They saw something gleaming in the dullness of the dirty ground. Rowan bent down to pick it up just as Nazz and Deakon transfigured back into their humans states.

They heard Rowan sigh greatly as she turned back to them, and showed them what she had in her hand. It was a gold pin, the size of a walnut. Gold, shaped like a small shield. With the acronym _H.G. _scribed in black letters. It was Lynn's Head Girl badge. There was an awkward silence for a few moments.

"Rowan, would you be able to get us into the castle?" Deakon asked, suddenly breaking the silence.

"I think so." Rowan answered, with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Why?" Harry asked. Deakon looked at him and stated simply.

"I think it's time to call another D.A. meeting."


	8. Dumbledore's Army

And that's exactly what he did. Deakon and Nazz took them back to the castle as far as they could go. They told them to contact them by owl when they got word of when the next meeting was. Harry took Rowan under the cloak, down through the Slytherin corridors leading to the Common Room. When they arrived at the entrance, Harry left her there. They nodded to each other quickly, and then he got back under the cloak and headed to Gryffindor Tower to inform Ron and Hermione.

----

When Rowan entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning, she sat down at the Slytherin table at the far right of the Hall. She started to help herself to some hot cereal. She glanced up at the Professors Table and saw Professor McGonagall chatting happily with Headmaster Dumbledore. She smiled as she ate a spoonful of her cereal and groggily people watched. Her eyes landed on Harry at the Gryffindor table. He was talking to Ron, Hermione and Neville in hushed voices. She figured about the meeting. They hadn't had a meeting in a long time, because of all the happenings last year with Umbridge. However, with her gone it was a lot safer to have the meetings. There were still risks, but they were careful. Still using the enchanted Galleons that Hermione had given them last year.

Moments later, the morning Owls started to arrive with the post. Rowan looked up and saw Constantine flying down towards her. S he had a small piece of parchment attached to her foot. She took it when she landed and gave her an affectionate pat on her head. It was from Deakon. He asked simply:

_Any news? –D_

She had started to take out her quill to answer him, when she caught sight of another owl land in front of her. It was a large snowy owl with a letter in it mouth. Constantine gave her a rude little squawk. The owl dropped the letter and flew off. Rowan watched it go and saw in land next to Harry at the Gryffindor table. She smirked and opened the letter.

**_Wednesday. 11 pm. –Harry_**

That was all it said. She smiled and looked up at Harry. He quickly smiled at her and then went back to talking to Ron. She took out her quill to respond to Deakon's letter. Once she finished she gave the letter to Constantine, who took it with excitement. Seconds later, she flew away, leaving Rowan to think. The meeting was two days away. She didn't know if she could wait that long.

----

Rowan could tell that D.A. members all over the school had gotten the message. As she walked the corridors going from class to class, she was met with winks and side glances from other members. While she was sitting in the musky Divination classroom, instead of reading up on her Rune interpretations she devised ways to get Deakon and Nazz into the castle.


	9. Sectumsempra

The day was coming to an end, as Rowan made her way back to the Slytherin Common Room from Professor Sinistra's classroom in the Astronomy Tower. As she was walking, she heard a few muffled voices coming from one of the bathrooms. She stopped to listen and realized that she recognized the angry voices. One was Harry and the other sounded a lot like…Draco. She stood a listened for a few more moments, as the voices started to get louder and testier. She heard a voice shout out, "**Sectumsempra!**" followed by an agonizing scream.

Rowan ran in as fast as she could and what she saw startled her. Harry was standing there, wand out and pointed at Draco. Who was on the ground, covered in blood and unconscious.

"Harry!" Rowan screamed. Half a question, half a statement. He turned to look at her in the doorway. A mix of horror and confusion on his face. Before she could say anything to him, Snape burst into the room. He looked from Harry, to Draco to Rowan.

"Rowan, get out of here." Snape said his voice full of malicious anger.

"But-"

"Just get out! NOW!" He yelled. Rowan took another look at the scene before her, and then ran out of the room. She ran all the way back to her dormitory. When she got in, she ran straight to Constantine. She was scared and nervous and didn't know what was going to happen to Harry. She let Constantine out of her cage, and hastily wrote a letter.

_Hermione- Harry's in trouble!_

_-Rowan_

With that she sent Constantine out in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. She waited all night for an answer from Hermione. However, she never received one. The next day at breakfast she didn't see any of the Wonder Trio. Professor Dumbledore wasn't there as well. All throughout the day, Rowan was worried sick. She hadn't seen or spoken to Harry all day. She had spent all of her class time stressing herself out, and imagining false scenario's in her head. As she was coming down the steps, just coming out from Divination, she crossed paths with Bradley. A Gryffindor a year below herself. She stopped him.

"Hey, have you seen Harry at all today?" She asked quickly. He smiled at her, his charming smile.

"Yeah. I think he said he was going to the Quidditch Pitch for a while." He explained. Rowan let out a sigh of relief and then smiled back at Bradley. She started off in the direction of the Pitch and yelled a thank you back at Brad.

----

When she stepped out onto the Quidditch Pitch, she was quickly overwhelmed by the sight of it. Tall hoops and bleachers, fifty feet into the air. Just looking up at them was making her queasy. She quickly forgot about her inevitable fear of heights as she remembered why she was there. To find Harry.

She finally found him, walking out of the Gryffindor team room, holding his Firebolt and dressed in his uniform. She yelled his name out as she made her way over to them.

"Hey," She started as she finally came to meet him where he was standing. She brushed some stray black hair out of her face. "Are you all right?" She asked. He looked confused for a moment before realizing what she was talking about.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just got a few years worth of detention." Harry said with a gloomy smile. Rowan heaved a great sigh of relief.

"So, were still on for the meeting tomorrow night, right?" Rowan asked. Harry nodded.

"Yeah." He answered simply. Rowan smiled.

"Okay, well…I'll let you practice." Rowan said as she started walking away. Harry waved goodbye as he mounted his Firebolt.

----

The night went by as slow as it possibly could have. The whole night she sat in her dormitory, eagerly awaiting tomorrows meeting. She knew the sooner she went to sleep, the sooner the next day would come, but she couldn't get herself to fall asleep. She was too anxious.

The next day wasn't any easier either. Rowan's classes seemed to go at snail pace, as she anticipated the meeting that night. Finally, it was time for Rowan to sneak Deakon and Nazz into the castle. Rowan walked down the cool corridors with a picnic basket in her hands and found herself walking through the Entrance Hall and out of the castle. The chill breeze hit her first as she wrapped her arms around herself. She stood there for maybe a little over a minute before she heard a ruffling sound coming from the bushes to her right. When she turned to look, she saw a ferret and a tabby cat walk out of them. Rowan smiled and walked towards them. She put the picnic basket on the ground and opened it. Nazz, in his tabby form, got into it obediently. Deakon took a little bit longer; however, when he was finally in the basket, Rowan closed it and went back inside the castle.

Now, it was finally time to make that familiar trip to the Room of Requirement, Rowan practically ran. She started walking the quiet corridor, pacing back and forth across the same wall. Muttering the same thought in her head. When she finally opened her eyes, the door was there. She smiled happily as she stepped toward the door, turned the knob and opened the door. She was suddenly hit with a wave a loud chattering. Shocked by the loud noise, Rowan quickly ran inside, slamming the door behind her.


	10. We Will Fight Back

When Rowan got over the shock from the rush of noise that hit her seconds ago, she opened her eyes and took in the sight. The Room of Requirement. Simple stone walls that were covered with books dealing with Defense against the Dark Arts. Even in her eagerness, it seemed that all the other members were one step ahead of her. It actually seemed like they were waiting for her to arrive. Everyone turned at looked at Rowan when the door closed. Rowan couldn't stop the blood that ran up to her cheeks, she didn't really like this many eyes on her at once.

"Hey guys. Let's get started." Rowan said, with a small quiver in her voice. She walked over to the desk and set the picnic basket on top of it. She opened up one side and let Nazz and Deakon crawl out and perch themselves on the edge of the table. The students stared at the ferret and the tabby with interest. Suddenly they transformed themselves back into their human forms. A few of the girls in the room gasped, everyone else thought it was brilliant. Deakon smiled to himself for causing such commotion with the girls. Seconds later, Rowan met eyes with Harry, mentally letting him know to start the meeting.

"Okay everyone, can we all take a seat for a minute?" Asked Harry as he took his spot in front of the group. Rowan was still in awe of everyone's obedience to him. Though, she couldn't tell if Harry thought it was flattering or irritating. Deakon and Nazz stayed seated on the edges of the table behind Harry. Rowan leaned against the table's edge, next to Deakon.

"There are some things we need to talk about before we go any further. First of all, this is Deakon, Rowan's cousin and Nazz. They are going to help us with certain dark arts techniques…" Harry started. He looked at everyone in the room when he spoke. Directly in front of him sat Hermione, Ron, Neville and Luna. Bradley, the sixth year Gryffindor was sitting behind Ron. His brother Alex, a third year Ravenclaw sat beside Brad with Cho Chang directly to his left. Dean, Seamus, Ginny, Jordan and Virginia sat towards the back. Over in the far left corner of the room sat Zacharias Smith. Harry soon continued what he was saying.

"Other than that, I know you have all heard of Lynn getting kidnapped." As Harry finished this sentence his green eyes caught the sight of Virginia, Lynn's best friend, who bowed her head in mourning. Jordan instinctively squeezed her hand to offer some comfort.

"That's why were starting to have these meetings again." Harry voiced in a very serious tone. Everyone was looking up at him. He seemed like a general, pumping up all the soldiers before they went off to battle. Was that what this was going to come to? War?

"We are going to get her back. We'll fight back." Harry said this with such conviction that everyone in the room got the shivers up and down their arms. Rowan smiled at this.

"Anyway, this is Deakon like I said before. He knows a lot about the Dark Arts, so I'm gonna pass it over to him." Harry said as he took a step back and took Deakon's spot next to Rowan and Nazz. Deakon now stood in front of the group as they eagerly awaited his words.

"Uh…okay…how many of you know what shape your Patronus takes?" Deakon asked everyone. Only a few of them raised their hands, including Neville, Cho, Hermione, Ron and Harry. Rowan saw a hint of a smile creep up onto Deakon's face.

"Well, word on the grapevine is that Dementors are in service of Voldemort." A few of the students flinched at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. Deakon noticed but didn't make any mention of it as he went on.

"So I think defense against Dementors is the smartest place to start. We'll break up into pairs and go from there." After Deakon finished he walked over to Harry and they began pairing people together. Rowan was paired up with Alex. Bradley was paired with Ron. Neville with Virginia. Jordan with Luna. Hermione was with Cho. Deakon and Harry both walked around the room to help people to conjure their patronus'. All together they tried to think of their happiest memory. As Deakon and Harry circled the room, they caught snippets of everyone's conversation.

"No, you have to think of your happiest memory!" Alex said to Rowan, as she was getting more and more frustrated that she couldn't conjure a patronus.

"If you were me Alex, you would have a hard time picking a happy memory too!" Rowan said, as she lowered her wand.

"Come on, you have to have a moment stuffed in your brain somewhere!" Called Alex. Rowan stood there and thought long and hard. After a few moments of searching her brain a memory finally came to mind.

**"My name is Severus. Don't be afraid."**

Rowan lifted her wand towards Alex.

"Expecto Patronum!" She called out. Seconds later a burst of white mist began to flow out of the tip of her wand. It only lasted a moment, but it was enough. It was a start. Rowan had a wide, goofy smile on her face.

"See? What did I tell you?" Alex said as he walked towards her with a large smile on his face.

"Don't be a smartass." Rowan said, even though she couldn't hold in her laughter. Deakon and Harry continued to walk around the room and help anyone having trouble. All the kids who had done it before soon had otters and swans flying all over the room. Seconds later, there was a large gasp as Virginia had managed to conjure a corporal patronus. A large misty Dragon. At that, Harry decided they should that they should get some rest.

As Deakon and Nazz changed back into their Animagus forms, Harry took out his Marauders Map and started letting people out of the room in groups. Rowan left with Bradley and Alex, though they separated at the top of the stairway. Rowan had to go out of the castle again to let Deakon and Nazz leave. Once she had let them out, she quickly walked back into the Entrance Hall and went down the Slytherin corridor.

As she was walking the chilly corridor, Rowan had to suppress a giggle as she realized that Harry and Ginny hadn't left the Room of Requirement. Minutes later she was back in her warm dormitory and crawling into her bed. She had trouble sleeping because her adrenaline was still flowing through her and it gave her a constant excited feeling. It gave her hope that soon things would be all right. That they would somehow save Lynn and defeat the Dark Lord forever. Rowan shook her head at the ridiculousness of the idea. So, she kept her mind on happier thoughts and quickly fell asleep.


	11. Bite Your Tongue

After a few weeks, things were beginning to look up. They kept up their meetings and no one else had been kidnapped. There was, however, still no news about Lynn of the Ravenclaw girl. This left everyone on their nerves. There was no way of knowing whether she was alive or dead. Rowan tried to act casual around D.A. members while they were in their normal lessons.

One night, as she was sitting in the Slytherin Common Room, reading _Hogwarts, a History (_due to Hermione's suggestion.) she heard a loud commotion just outside the entrance. She saved her place in her book and went to investigate. When she stepped out of the Common Room she was almost trampled by a student. She tried to stop them to ask what was going on, but was interrupted by another student. It was Malcolm Baddock, a second year Slytherin.

"Everyone's heading up to the Astronomy Tower to get a better look." He said in a rush, and before Rowan could ask of what, he was gone. So, she went with the rest of the crowd and headed up to the Astronomy Tower.

Once she was there, she felt a sickening coldness travel from her toes to her face. She stood, mouth agape, and stared soundlessly at the foggy vision in the distance.

**The Dark Mark.**

It was glowing like a signal in the air. Not over Hogwarts, instead hovering in the distance, over Hogsmeade. Rowan covered her mouth with her shaking hands to try and cover up her gasps. She heard a boy speak in strangled whispers to someone behind her. She turned and saw Harry staring at the same sight she was. He caught her eyes, and they stared at each other, stunned, for several seconds. She didn't want to keep looking, but it was like a train wreck. She couldn't help but look. Then, the thought came to her mind…who was killed?

Before she could speak a word to Harry, all the teachers were ushering the students back into the castle and getting them into their separate Common Rooms. Rowan quickly left the Astronomy Tower as she was instructed, but she didn't return to the Common Room. She, in fact, stopped in the corridor at Snape's office door. She stepped inside, but it was empty. She decided to sit and wait for him to return.

She waited for close to a half an hour, until finally she heard the heavy metal door sing open. S he stood up from the chair and waited to Severus to notice her there. When he did, he froze in place. Rowan took note of the panicked look on his face. Though, he was trying his best to look emotionless.

"What are you doing here?" Snape asked as he shut the door and walked coolly around his desk and sat down.

"Who was it?" Rowan asked quickly, ignoring Severus' first question. She didn't know if she was asking who was killed, or who killed them. However, Severus still kept his callous demeanor. A demeanor that he didn't usually have around Rowan.

"I don't know." Snape said nonchalantly. She released a sigh of relief as she sat back down at her chair. She brushed some of her hair out of her face.

"So you weren't involved." Rowan hadn't even meant for it to come out of her mouth, but the moment it did she wished it hadn't. She covered her mouth in disgust and looked back up at Severus. He stood up slowly, not taking his eyes off the young women in front of him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Snape asked, venom dripping out of every syllable. Rowan was scared; she had never said anything negative towards Snape in her whole life. Even when she found out from Harry that he used to be a Death Eater, she had kept it to herself.

"It's just that you used to be a…a-"Rowan stuttered. She couldn't bring herself to say the words that were clinging to her tongue. And then it happened. The only time in history that Snape had ever snapped at her.

"A what? A Death Eater?" He yelled. Rowan couldn't find the words she wanted to say. So, Severus continued.

"Tell me, would a Death Eater have taken you in after the Dark Lord mercilessly murdered your parents? Would a Death Eater have raised you and taken car of you all these years?" Snape yelled, his usual pale face turning a vicious shade of red. Tears stung at Rowan's eyes as she fought to find the right words.

"Get out!" Rowan flinched at his words. She complied immediately; dying to get out of that room. She exited the room and ran. She didn't stop running until she reached her bed inside the comforting warmth of the Slytherin dormitories. She collapsed on her bed and cried until she fell asleep.


	12. Green Skull Hovering

The next day, Rowan felt groggy, and her eyes stung her as she felt around for her alarm clock. She reached to shut it off, when something caught her eyes. Something gold and glistening resting next to her alarm clock. It was a Galleon.

Not just any Galleon, it was the Dumbledore's Army Galleon, the ones Hermione had given them. It was spinning rapidly, which could only mean that it was time for another meeting. Rowan crawled out of bed and dressed herself in her uniform. Just as she was about to walk out of the dormitory, she turned back and grabbed the Galleon. Stuffing it in one of her pockets.

Before she went down into the Great Hall she left the castle and headed to the Owlery. She had to write to Deakon and tell him about the next meeting that was to take place that night.

After Constantine took off, Rowan made her way back to the castle to have breakfast before going to her first lesson of the day. Which was Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. When she entered the Great Hall she was greeted with loud chatter and laughter. Rowan caught sight of Harry sitting at the Gryffindor table, surrounded by Hermione, Ron and Ginny. Who was sitting particularly close to Harry. This made Rowan grin, thinking of her thoughts a few weeks ago as she took her seat alone at the Slytherin table. She helped herself to some toast just as the owls flew in to deliver the post. However, she knew she wouldn't be getting any post today, as Constantine had just left to deliver her letter to Deakon. As such, Rowan continued to eat her toast, preferring to keep to herself at the moment. She reached into her leather bag and took out her copy of _Hogwarts, a History_. As she was reading the chapter on _Protection Charms in and around Hogwarts_, she suddenly got an eye-full of newspaper. When she looked up she found Hermione, with a worried look on her face. She had just thrown down _The Daily Prophet_, the wizard newspaper. Rowan couldn't help but look around her self-consciously; as most other Slytherin students found it odd that a Gryffindor was at their table.

"Have you read it yet?" Hermione said, her voice slightly quivering. Rowan could only shake her head and take the newspaper. The headline was very clear. Soon, Rowan found her hands shaking and a headache starting to form just above her eyes. The words stung.

**Hogsmeade Café Owner Murdered by Death Eaters**

**"Loving, caring and always put a smile on your face." That's how most people thought of Madam Puddifoot, 46, a tearoom owner and resident of Hogsmeade Village. Sadly, the village was shocked last night when they discovered her body just inside the tearoom kitchen after closing. Mr. Quinones, a resident of Hogsmeade saw the gleaming green skull hovering over the cafés roof; he rushed in to see what had happened.**

**The tea room was often a haven for students of Hogwarts to visit on all their Hogsmeade weekends, now however, the tearoom is likely to be closed until the murder or murders are caught.**

**The was no comment from the Puddifoot family or the Ministry of Magic. _Continued on pg. 6. _**

When Rowan looked back up at Hermione, she was sitting down across from her. Arms folded across her chest. Rowan's eyes were gleaming and her forehead was furrowed. She couldn't believe they had gone after Madam Puddifoot. As far as Rowan was concerned, she wasn't even a part of the Order. Why the random murder?

"You now this is serious. A Death Eater attack this close to Hogwarts..." Hermione said her voice deep and quiet. Although Rowan knew she should be concerned about the murder, but she was more concerned with the fact that they had been so close to Deakon. She shook the thought from her mind and turned her eyes back to Hermione. Who seemed to have been talking to her this whole time.

"…So he's going to be at the meeting right?" Hermione asked, and Rowan found herself not knowing what to say since she hadn't heard much of what Hermione had just said.

"What?" Rowan asked. She tried to ignore the disapproving look Hermione had just given her.

"I asked if Deakon was going to be at the meeting tonight?" She asked again. This time Rowan had heard. Rowan nodded.

"Yeah, I'm meeting him and Nazz outside the castle at 10:30." Rowan answered, even though she wasn't sure it was entirely true. She had just only learned about the meeting this morning, it was short notice. Though, when she met Hermione's eyes, she looked pleased. The last thing Rowan wanted was Hermione on her case. She heard how bossy she could get with Ron and Harry.

When the clock tower started to chime, both the girls knew it was time for their first lesson of the day. Hermione promptly stood up.

"See you tonight then." She said as she went back over to the Gryffindor table, grabbed her books and left with Harry and Ron. Rowan finished her food and left the Great Hall as well. She headed out of the Entrance Hall and onto the grounds as she headed towards Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

When she arrived, she happily greeted Hagrid. Who only gave a half-hearted 'hello' back. He hadn't been the same since Lynn was kidnapped. She was Hagrid's apprentice, due to her fierce love of animals that almost rivaled Hagrid's. She always assisted him during lessons and could often be found at Hagrid's hut during the day, talking with him about various magical creatures. This was another reason why Rowan hoped that Lynn was still alive. For Hagrid's sake. All throughout the lesson, Rowan had a far off look in her eyes. She always had a far off look these days, ever since Lynn was kidnapped. Also, on top of it, she was worried about Deakon. What if the Death Eaters knew he was there? He had always been outspoken about his dislike of Dark Wizards. What if something terrible had happened to him?

She would just have to wait to find out.


	13. Dumbfounded Apologies

It was 10:30 that same evening. Rowan stood out in the blistering cold of the Scotland winter winds. She pulled her cloak tighter over her chest, as she tried to keep out the cold. She had the picnic basket sitting on the ground at her feet. She looked out in the distance, waiting for some sign of Deakon. She had been standing there for fifteen minutes, biting her lip in nervousness. Suddenly, she heard a rustling of leaves coming from her left. She turned to see a tabby poking its head out of a bush. Rowan held her breathe.

Then, a small white and black ferret came sauntering out from the bush. His bandit mask markings glowing in the moonlight. Relief washed over Rowan, as she left out a huge sigh. At sight of the distressed look on Rowan's face, Deakon transformed into his normal state and walked towards her. A confused look on his pale face. Rowan couldn't help it; tears came to her eyes as she wrapped her shaking arms around Deakon's neck.

"I've been worrying myself all day thinking that something happened to you." Rowan said into the crux of his shoulder.

"I'm fine. I'm right here." Deakon said, rubbing soothing circles on her back, while Rowan pulled herself together.

All the stress of the day was finally melting away. Rowan didn't have to worry anymore, he was alive and well. After a moment, Rowan composed herself and wiped the tears away. She gave a small smile to Deakon, letting him know that she was fine now. Deakon re-transformed into his ferret form and the two Animagi got into the basket obediently.

Minutes later she was entering the Room of Requirement. Once again, it was booming with sound and their seemed to be more people there this time. Colin Creevy was there, with his camera around his neck as usual. He wasn't a dumpy little First year anymore however; he was taller and didn't beam at people as much. His fascination with Harry seemed to have died down a bit.

She also saw a few Ravenclaw girls that Cho had brought along with her. Rowan didn't know their names, but figured she would get to know them. Rowan heard Nazz meow through an opening of the basket, they obviously wanted to get out of the basket as soon as possible. She smiled and spotted the same table that was always there, so she walked towards it. Ginny was sitting on top of it, her arms at her sides with Harry standing front of her. As she got closer, she could hear him telling her jokes just before her laughter echoed in the room. Rowan felt the familiar pang on envy, but quickly shook it off as she stepped up to the table and set down the basket.

"Rowan, you're here. Great." Harry said, clapping his hands together. Obviously, Rowan had been the last to arrive again.

"Hello to you too, Harry. Hi Ginny." She said politely. Ginny smiled back at her. She let Deakon and Nazz out of the basket and they both immediately transformed. Deakon gave Harry a hand shake just as everyone noticed that it was almost time to start.

Everyone in the room started to take seats. Rowan joined the crowd and sat down next to Virginia. Harry stood beside Deakon and he started to speak to crowd. Demanding everyone's attention. The was still silence for a moment, until Deakon cleared his throat and started to speak.

"I'm sure by now you all have heard about Madam Puddifoot," Deakon started. Everyone was silent, the shock of the murder still fresh in all their minds. "So were gonna step it up. You've all basically got the Patronus down, so we need to concentrate on curses and counter curses. We gonna start with something simple, but effective. _Stupify._ Now, if you get hit once with this curse, it won't do much damage. If you're hit with multiple, it could do serious damage. So…we're gonna practice on each other." Deakon said with a bit of a mischievous smile on his face.

Once again he split everyone up into pairs, each of them stupefying each other so that they froze up and landed on a soft pillow below them. Everyone was much more enthusiastic about this meeting, since the attacks were becoming more frequent, they were eager to learn to defend themselves.

This activity went on for almost two hours. Once they were finished, Harry ushered them off in groups to return to their Common Rooms. Rowan left with Virginia and Jordan, but seeing as she had to smuggle Deakon and Nazz out of the castle she didn't stay with them long. After the boys were clear of the grounds, Rowan reentered the castle and headed back to the dormitories for a good night sleep.

When she stepped into the cool and silent Common Room, she noticed something already wrong with the place. First of all, it was almost one o'clock in the morning and it wasn't empty. Also, the fire was roaring, illuminating the room in an eerie red glow. Then she saw, in the far corner of the room, sitting on one of the large green chairs was Draco. He hadn't noticed her walk in, or else he would have left the room immediately.

When she got closer she took a good look at him. His eyes were red and swollen, his face stained with dried tears. He rested his head on his left hand and was just staring at the wall facing him. He still hadn't heard it, which was odd since Rowan wasn't making it a point to be quiet.

"Draco?" She asked as she came up to the edge of the chair. He looked up to see her, when the fire caught something on his face. Not tears but blood. He had a fresh cut on his lip that was bleeding down his chin onto his school robes. He didn't say anything and he didn't need to. Rowan could see everything that was going on in his head by just looking at his eyes. He looked like he had been crying there for hours, all alone.

Out of nowhere, he stood. He stood in front of Rowan and for a split second she thought of the _Stupify _curse. He didn't, however, attack her. His arms lay limp at his sides, his hair was tousled and his face was ghostly pale. Before she knew what was happening, his arms were around her, taking her into a tight hug. Rowan stood frozen for a moment, not knowing what to do.

She felt Draco's shoulders lurch with sobs that were being muffled by her shoulders. The hug felt frantic as it was a bit too tight, like something terrible would happen if he let go. Before she could react, he sniffed back his tears and let go of her and backed away. He looked up to meet her eyes. Rowan thought she had never seen something so heartbreaking then his grey eyes gleaming with tears. He looked at her for a small quiet moment.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, it sounded barely above a whisper. Then he walked away, through the door leading to the boys' dormitories. Rowan stood there, dumbfounded. She didn't know what to make of what had just happened. After a moment of blank confusion, Rowan decided to get some sleep, maybe that could clear her head.


	14. Within a Sea of Crimson

Rowan head didn't get any clearer within the next few days. Her brain was swimming with thoughts of curses, counter curses and most of all…Draco. His behavior was so uncharacteristic that Rowan found herself more and more concerned for him. Her head was so cluttered, that she hadn't even noticed that she took a wrong left to get to Herbology and found herself outside a bathroom door. She, like everyone else in the school, knew this bathroom was out of order for a very specific reason. Moaning Myrtle. However, she heard muffled cries and banging coming from inside the bathroom. Once again, her curiosity got the best of her when she walked towards the bathroom door. She could hear the cries more clearly, and it didn't sound like Myrtle. It sounded like a boy. She slowly stepped in, and was overcome with emotion when she saw his body.

He looked cold. His front facing the grey stone walls, slumped on the floor. His hands touching the wet ground to balance himself. She could see his shoulders shaking and bouncing from his strangled sobs. He sounded like he couldn't breathe. Rowan walked towards the boy, putting a warm, comforting hand against his back. The boy jumped suddenly, and looked up at Rowan. It was Harry.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Rowan said, as she bent down at Harry's side. His face was practically covered in tears. She put her arms on his shoulders, trying to stop him from shaking.

"You didn't hear? Cho's gone." Harry said, hanging his head in shame. Rowan couldn't believe it, another kidnapping. And someone who was a part of Dumbledore's Army. The only thoughts that went through her head at that moment were, _is this really happening?_

She helped Harry back to the Common Room, seeing as she couldn't leave him in an abandoned girl's bathroom. Her mind was going a mile a minute; she wanted to be in the safety of her own bed. Her own blanket wrapped tight around her like a shield. She didn't even bother to make an excuse to miss Herbology; she just headed to the Slytherin Common Room. The rest of the day and that night went by in a blur, and before Rowan even knew she had fallen asleep her alarm went off to wake her up for lessons.

Rowan's back and neck felt stiff from sleeping in a bad position. Even though her body was telling her to stay still, she knew she had to get up to get ready for class. She was still wearing her uniform, not bothering to take it off the night before. It was wrinkled, but Rowan figured it would do well enough.

About fifteen minutes later, Rowan was sitting at the Slytherin Table inside the Great Hall. She lazily ate her food and looked around the room, watching everyone pass by and hearing snippets of people's conversations. Most of them were about Cho. At the thought of Cho, Rowan remembered last night and she turned to find Harry among the mass of Gryffindor students. She spotted him but his eyes were already on her. He was waving at her. No, not waving, tell her to come over to him. She slowly stood up and picked up her messenger bag which was heavy from her copy of _Hogwarts, a History_ (which she was nearly finished with.). A few Slytherin students were watching her with interest as she sat herself down in between Harry and Ron.

"You have friends you know." Harry said with a smirk on his face. His hair was tussled haphazardly and he looked as if he got no sleep last night.

"No Slytherin friends." Rowan said simply. It was true; all of her real friends were in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. She turned to Ron when she heard him stifle a laugh.

"Who would want a Slytherin for a friend, anyway?" Ron said with a laugh. Rowan just smiled and shoved him.

"You sound like Alex." Said Rowan, as she noticed the look Hermione was giving to Ron.

"That's such a load of rubbish! That's students have to sit with their own house." Hermione said, with a great big sigh. Rowan started to turn her attention away from the bickering friends once Ron started to get into a heated conversation between them. She instead turned her attention to Harry, who was eating his porridge.

"So, how are you?" Rowan asked with as much discretion that she could. She started to feel a bit more comfortable being the only Slytherin at the table. A spot of green within a sea of crimson. Harry actually seemed to have blushed a bit.

"I'm okay now. Thanks." He said, with a small smile forming on his lips. Then, he turned back to his porridge. Rowan nodded, satisfied with his answer and started to eat some Sheppard's pie before class. She started to eat her food as well, until Harry spoke up again.

"Listen, I would like to talk to you later, about some of the D.A. stuff. If you are free." Harry said. Rowan just smiled and nodded. She swallowed her food and gave him another nod.

"Yeah, that's sounds good. How about we meet here at about six o'clock?" Rowan asked and Harry just nodded. Just then, the bells started to chime and all the students started their daily routine of going to class.


	15. Every Empty Word

At seven o'clock that night, Rowan was still waiting for Harry in the Great Hall. She didn't know Harry as well as some other people but she knew that he wasn't usually one to be late. In frustration, Rowan stood and started walking out of the Great Hall. Once she was out the door, she was met with the sight of Hermione walking towards the staircase.

"Hermione!" Rowan called. Hermione turned to look at her, books in hand. She raised her eyebrows, silently asking what Rowan wanted.

"Have you seen Harry at all today?" Rowan asked. By the look on her face, Rowan

could tell that Hermione was thinking long and hard.

"I saw him this morning at breakfast. Last I remember he said he was going to Dumbledore's office." Hermione answered, giving a concerned glance back at Rowan. Rowan however, wasn't paying much attention to Hermione anymore. I didn't make sense that Harry would flake on her when it was his idea to meet up. She started walking up the stairs, Hermione some ways behind her; headed to the Gryffindor Common Room. Suddenly, Rowan heard someone behind her; calling her name.

"Rowan! Ro-stop!" Rowan turned to see Virginia. The gleam of sweat on her forehead. She looked terrified. She stopped in front of Rowan, panting; trying to speak before she passed out.

"Death Eaters! They're in the castle! Up on the Astronomy Tower!" She said a horrified expression on her pale face. Rowan looked at Hermione quickly, who was wearing the same expression. They both knew that that was where they would find Harry, and they weren't going to just hide and let something happen. Hermione dropped her books as they all took out their wands and ran up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. Just as they were about to enter the Tower staircase, Rowan was knocked to the ground. She fell hard on her side but looked up quickly to see who had knocked her down. All she saw was the back of a tall man with greasy black hair. He was dragging along a teenage boy, with white blonde hair.

**Severus and Draco.**

Rowan was confused. Why were they running? Where were they going? Then seconds later, Harry rushed into the room. When he spotted Severus and Draco, he ran after them.

"Harry! Stop!" Rowan tried to call to him, but he didn't hear her. She stood and began to run after the three of them. Hermione tried to stop her by grabbing her robes, but Rowan just struggled out of them and began to run. She was feet away from Harry when she tripped against a root and fell. Her ankle burned with pain that ran all the way up her leg. She looked up and saw Harry throwing curses left and right at Severus. Her mind was riding waves of confusion as she watched the scene play out. Before she could even blink, Severus was walking towards the Forbidden Forest with Draco. Before they both disappeared into the dark pine trees, Draco looked back at her. A look of sadness and fear on his face. Their eyes met for a quick moment, before he disappeared. That's when the tears started falling.

She didn't even pay any attention to Harry or the pain in her leg. She pulled herself up and started running back to the castle. She didn't stop for anyone, even if they called out her name. She ran back into the castle and down into the Slytherin corridor. She stopped at Snape's office door. She tried to open it, but found that it was locked. She pointed her wand at the knob, and in a strangled voice, she shouted.

"Bombarta!" The door crashed open, barely hanging on by its hinges. She stepped into Snape's office and in a fit of grief, anger and betrayal; she started throwing everything in sight. Glass jars full of potions and rare herbs. Everything smashed against the dark wooden walls. She felt sick to her stomach, vomit threatening to spill out. After a few minutes, she fell to ground in a pile of limbs and sobs. She looked around the room, realizing what she had just done and in the corner of her eye she saw a drawer open at his desk. She pulled the drawer open more and found a large wooden box engraved with a snake on its top. She took it out and laid it cautiously in her lap. She didn't know why, but she felt nervous about opening it. What she found made her feel like all the air had been pushed out of her.

The first thing looked like as if it was a clipping from the Daily Prophet from years before. It was a wedding announcement. The headline read, _"Famous Auror to marry on Saturday."_ The date read one year before she had been born. Then, she looked at the moving photograph. It was man, with striking green eyes and elegant robes, standing next to a woman with long, straight black hair; with a simple muggle summer dress on. Rowan read a bit of the article.

_Famous Auror, Thairen Rose has announced his marriage to muggle bookstore owner Melinda Porter. They met coincidently when Thairen was sent to catch the criminally insane wizard Dwighde Shrude last year in muggle London; outside of the bookstore. They will be married this Saturday and are to be residing at the Rose Estate outside of Hogsmeade Village._

Rowan felt shell shocked at the fact that she was looking at pictures of her parents. They were smiling and waving and giving each other affectionate looks. She looked through all the photographs, and noticed one thing similar about all of them. In every photograph, her mother was wearing a gorgeous necklace that stood out against her pale skin. It was a black stone carved into a rose.

As Rowan dug deeper into the box, her fingers touched something cold. She grabbed it and pulled it out to find herself holding that very necklace from all the pictures. Unconsciously, Rowan started to cry. She was holding a piece of her mother, something tangible. She put it around her neck just as someone ran into the room. Rebecca, a Slytherin a year below her looked out of breath and she began to speak to Rowan.

"God, we've been looking all over for you. They're asking for you in the Hospital Wing." She said, quickly running out of breath. Rowan quickly stood, leaving the box on the ground; knowing she would come back for it later. She followed Rebecca out of the room and down the narrow corridor.

The first thing she noticed when she arrived in the hospital wing was red. Red hair. All the Weasley's were crowded around two beds. One bed had Ron, who looked like he had already recovered and the other had Ron's older brother Bill. There was a woman hovering over him; she had flowing silver hair. Rowan recognized her as Fleur Delacour, who was a Triwizard Champion a few years prior. Rowan took in the scene before her for a few moments, letting everything sink in. The trio was huddled together, discussing something that Rowan couldn't hear. She could see Alex, lying in bed clutching his broken arm as he dealt with the pain of having the bones grown back. Bradley was sitting at his side, trying to get him to drink some god awful pain killing potion. To their right, Rowan saw Virginia lying unconscious with Jordan sitting close to her, her hands in his. Rowan ran to the bed in a panic, looking to Jordan with pleading eyes.

"What happened to her?" She asked, as she looked at Virginia with her eyebrows furrowed.

"She got hit with the Cruciatus Curse. Madam Pomphrey said she'll be okay." Jordan said quietly. Rowan stood up and was about to walk away when Jordan caught her arm. His eyes were practically spilling tears as he spoke the next few words to her.

"Rowan…Dumbledore's dead." Jordan said quietly. Rowan stood, looking into Jordan's sorrowful brown eyes. Jordan let go of her arm, and Rowan started to walk away slowly. Her arms lying sluggishly by her side as she walked towards an open window like a zombie. The moonlight casting an eerie blue glow on her pale skin. She stared out into the night sky; she tried to cry but found that she couldn't. She couldn't even register the searing pain in her leg. She hadn't gotten to grief yet, she had to work her way through shock first. She stood for a few empty moments until she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She turned and found Professor McGonagall standing beside her.

"Come with me, dear. I think it's time we had a talk." She said softly. Rowan could see the pain in her eyes; the loss she felt. Rowan didn't nod or say anything she just followed the Professor out of the Hospital Wing and back to her office.


	16. This pleading in Me

It was warm inside the room, filled with furniture of soft reds and gold's. McGonagall walked behind her desk and took a seat. Rowan stood in front of the desk, patiently waiting for Minerva to start talking. The sinking feeling she was starting to feel in her stomach made it hard to sit down; for fear of vomiting all over her Professor's nice scarlet carpeting.

"As you must have already heard, we just lost Albus." McGonagall said with a touch of fear in her voice. Rowan could tell she was trying to cover it up for the sake of being professional, but she couldn't hide the inevitable tremble in her voice. Rowan simply nodded her head.

"I am now acting Headmistress of this school. I asked to speak to you because Severus was your official guardian. Even though you-"

"Why did he do it?" Rowan asked suddenly, cutting off McGonagall. The older woman shrugged off her rudeness and stared at the distressed girl with empathy. All she could think to do was shake her head.  
"I really don't know. I understand you are of age, but while you are still attending this school I will be your guardian. If you have any problems you can come to me." McGonagall stated, settling back into her guise of authority figure. Rowan nodded her head, and finally lifted her eyes to look at McGonagall. As the two woman made eye contact, an exhausted tear fell down Rowan's cheek. McGonagall's eyes looked expectant, as if she was telling Rowan to ask something of her.

"I just want to go to sleep." Rowan said quietly. She looked away from McGonagall's sorrowful eyes.

"Thanks." Rowan said quietly as she exited the room. Once she was back in the cold corridor, she saw that most of the castle was in an uproar. Most students were huddled together, mourning the loss of the Headmaster. She couldn't take all the moaning and the wailing, she had to escape it. She ran as fast as she could down the steps and through the Slytherin Corridor. She didn't stop until she reached Snape's office door. She dropped herself onto his large leather chair and picked up the box of her fading memories. She took out of small black and white photo of her parents. They were smiling and waving at her. No, not her- the photographer. She didn't know how long she had been sitting there until she fell asleep.

Rowan awoke to the sound of Konstantine's soft hooting. Rowan opened her tired eyes to see her perched on Severus' desk with a scrap of parchment in her beak. Rowan rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and grabbed the paper from Konstantine as she hooted softly at her. When Rowan's eyes focused, she read the note quickly.

Shrieking Shack. 3 pm today. Come alone.

-Draco

A cold shiver ran through Rowan at the thought of meeting Draco after what had happened last night. However, she needed closure and desperately needed to know the truth. She stood and stuffed the note into her pocket. She looked up at the old grandfather clock in the corner of the dark room. It was 1:48 pm. She would have to be quick. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in until she transformed herself into a small ferret, identical to Deakon's. Immediately, she started to scamper out of the office and towards to exit of the castle.

The trip to Hogsmeade was a long one, but Rowan didn't rest. Her need to know the truth was what kept her going. Her mind was running a mile a minute coming up with hundreds of different scenarios of how it happened. How Snape had killed Dumbledore. After almost an hour of traveling, the Shrieking Shack finally came into view. It looked even more dark and gloomy than usual.

Once Rowan reached the back entrance she transformed back into her human form. She opened the back door slowly and with some difficulty. It creaked and protested, but finally she was inside. Once inside, warmth took over her but she made no move to take off her sweater. She took out her wand and held it out defensively in front of her. She walked further into the house, searching for signs of life. Then, she heard a voice call from behind her.

"You won't be needing that." The voice came coolly to her ears. She turned quickly enough to see Draco walk out of the shadows. He leaned his thin frame against the doorway as he watched her with intense eyes. Rowan looked at him in surprise but made no move to lower her wand.

"Keep your distance." Rowan said bravely, not taking her eyes off of Draco. He laughed a bit, but it didn't sound joyful. He acted like laughter was something he needed to cling to to keep some kind of reality.

"I told you; you don't need it." He said, shrugging is shoulders. "I'm not dangerous." He said smoothly, taking a step closer.

"Like hell. You killed Dumbledore." Rowan said with a mad gleam in her eye as she glanced from him to her wand and back again. She would hex him, she knew, if he got to close.

"No. That was me." Came another voice from the darkness. A voice Rowan knew all too well. Severus. Rowan turned and stood with her wand out to him, as she met his eyes. While hers were sad and pleading, his remained cold.

"I understand you are angry right now, but you must think before you act. Draco told you where to find us so that I could explain all this to you." Severus said. Rowan looked back and forth between Draco and Severus for a few dazed and confused moments. Then, she lowered her wand.

"You can explain, but I'm not putting my wand away." Rowan said as she lifted a defiant chin at her once legal guardian. Severus motioned for them to step into a room, where he would explain everything to her. Every horrifying detail.


	17. Guernica

After almost two hours of Rowan listening to everything Severus said; she came to the sad conclusion that everything he had ever told her had been a lie. Ever since she knew him, even when he swore allegiance with Dumbledore; he had been working for Voldemort. Patiently bidding his time until the Dark Lord returned to power. Rowan felt sick. She looked between herself and her former guardian and needed to get out of there. With one last glance at Severus, she got up and ran.

Only to have someone stop her moments later in a dark creaking hallway. She turned to look at Draco, who had taken her arm to stop her from running. Her eyes were brimming with tears and her face started to turn red around her eyes and nose. She was about to lose it; although she desperately didn't want to in front of Draco.

"Listen, I just want you to know that-"Draco started but Rowan didn't want to hear it. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and looked back at him with a mix of anger and sympathy in her eyes.

"I don't want to hear it, Draco. Nothing you say can help right now." Rowan said as she quietly pleads with him. He looked at her before softly continuing.

"I'm sorry." He said it with such sincerity that Rowan couldn't hold it in anymore. Her face contorted into a mass of flesh and tears as she let out a strangled cry. She took one last look at Draco and then ran away from him. Leaving him in that decrepit house with the one person she ever met that was truly evil to her.

She had to get back to the castle and prepare herself for the next task in a long line of new hardships.

The mood the day of Dumbledore's funeral was as to be expected. Dreary, silent and mournful. Everyone Rowan's thought would be there was, and a few she didn't expect to be there were. She watched Dolores Umbridge arrive and noted the flash of anger in Harry's eyes when he noticed her there. Rowan wore her nicest black robes with a simple black veil over her face. Her mothers black rose necklace shined around her neck. She sat in between Deakon and Nazz.

She could barely handle the overwhelming emotion that surrounded the whole funeral. The large white tomb shone like a beacon in the bright sunlight. Rowan turned to get a look at all her friends in the crowd. Virginia was seated between Jordan and her cousin Harrison, who worked as an Auror. She noted the obvious anguish that was written on Virginia's face, though she wasn't crying. She looked like she might crack at any moment. Harry was sitting with Ron and Hermione to his right and Ginny on his left. Ginny was crying with her arms intertwined with Harry's.

Not too long after the funeral, everyone was standing and leaving. Some were walking towards the ominous tomb and paying their respects to the greatest wizard who ever lived. Rowan noticed Ginny and Harry still sitting in their seats, talking in hushed whispers. She brushed it off for now, turning instead to talk to Deakon.

The funeral had been over for only fifteen minutes but Rowan could tell the difference already in everyone's faces. They seemed relieved and glad that they could start to move on. Rowan looked out into the distance, over at the Black lake. She noticed Harry and Ginny standing together. They looked perfectly normal, until Ginny suddenly ran off. Rowan furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she made her way over to Harry.

"Harry, is everything all right?" Rowan asked as she reached his side. He looked at her with a blank expression.

"Look Rowan, there's something I need to ask of you." Harry said, with all seriousness. Rowan didn't say anything; she just waited for him to continue.

"I'm leaving…soon. And there's something I need to do-"He would have continued but Rowan, almost as if she was reading his mind, interrupted him.

"You're going after Voldemort aren't you?" She asked, her eyes growing wide with fear and excitement.

"Not entirely." Harry responded.

"Let me come with you." Rowan said, grabbing Harry's arm lightly. He looked at her with sorrowful eyes.

"I've already got Ron and Hermione tagging along. I just…I need you to take care of Ginny. Please." After a long moment of silence, Rowan nodded. Harry smiled and started to walk away.

"Harry!" Rowan called out for him. He turned to look at her. All she saw then was Harry, the warrior. The Boy Who Lived. She smiled shyly.

"Be careful." She said quietly. He smiled kindly at her and then continued to walk away.


	18. Just Like the Old Days

It was the first day of August, also the first snow. The wind was bitingly cold as Rowan walked down High Street in Hogsmeade with Deakon at her side. Her old Slytherin scarf was wrapped tightly around her neck. They were silent as they walked together, but their thoughts were both the same.

A lot had changed since Dumbledore's funeral. It had been three months since that dreary day. Rowan had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the top of her class and started working for Mr. Blotts at Florish and Blotts in London. She didn't mind the travel, after all she just apparated there every morning. With the first snow of the fall season things finally seemed to calm down for Rowan. She felt as if she could walk down these cobblestone roads without having to look over her shoulder.

The only thing that got to her was the fact that Harry, Hermione and Ron were still gone. Searching for the Horcrux's. Though every two weeks or so, she would get letters from them to inform her of their progress. Also, she and Deakon were still attending D.A. meetings; getting snuck in by one of the members for every meeting. When for some reason they couldn't make it, Neville usually took over.

One thing that always perked up Rowan's day was visiting the twins at Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Their shop was very close the book store where she worked, so she often invited them to dinner or just spent time around Diagon Alley with them. These visits always cheered her up and got her mind on happier times.

After their walk, Deakon left for Hogwarts at Neville's request for a last minute D.A. meeting, while Rowan stayed at her flat to finish some paperwork for Mr. Blotts. Even as the sun set and the evening hours came, Rowan still sat at her office desk. The dim light of the tableside lamp reflecting a warm glow over her pale face.

She had been working so much lately, that the numbers she was adding together seemed overwhelming. She could feel the beginnings of a headache forming just at her temples. She laid her pen down on top of her books and papers and rubbed her head softly.

Then she heard a creak come from her doorway. It was so quiet that Rowan wondered if she really heard it. She looked in that direction but she didn't hear anything more. She wanted to just brush it off but the investigator in her told her to check it out. She stood from her seat and walked towards her door. She stepped into the small entrance hall and saw that her door was perched open. Rowan took a cautious step forward and shut her door.

"Bad idea." Came a slimy voice from behind her. She screamed in shock and turned to look at her intruder. She didn't get a good look at his hooded face before a flash of red light surrounded her and everything faded to black.

"Rowan? Rowan, wake up." The room slowly came back into focus and Rowan listened to the voice of the woman who was speaking to her. She looked up to see two people she hadn't spoken to in almost six years. Not since her first year at Hogwarts.

It was Virginia's cousin Harrison and his fiancé, Lisa. She had met them in her first year when she was having trouble coming to grips with the sheer size of Hogwarts. She had met Lisa first in one of the many crowded corridors of the school. Rowan had dropped her books and as she was picking them up, one person actually stopped to help her. Rowan looked up at her, her black hair covering half of her eyes.

Lisa had short strawberry blonde hair and had a kind smile. Rowan then noticed the gleaming _H.G._ badge that she wore on her black and crimson robes. Later on in the day, Lisa invited Rowan to sit with her in the Great Hall. That's where she had met Lisa's boyfriend, Harrison, who was also in Gryffindor House. He had short moppish brown hair and thick rimmed glasses. They talked about a lot; how they were both going to become Auror's after graduation and about their families. It was also that day that Rowan met Virginia.

So now, she was on the ground with her two old friends hovering over her. She started to sit up and felt a horrible jolt go through her head. Whatever spell she got hit with, it was taking its toll on her body. Then, someone blasted into the room.

"Where is she?" Deakon practically yelled out until he saw Rowan on the floor. He ran to her on the floor, nearly knocking over Lisa.

"She's fine Deakon. She's just weak right now." Harrison said as he stood over Rowan and watched the other Auror's search her apartment.

"Rowan, tell me what happened." Deakon asked as himself and their two friends helped her onto her couch. She held her hand up to her forehead to try and still the dizziness.

"I was just here; I was doing the books for Mr. Blotts and I heard a noise. Then, someone attacked me." Rowan said. She felt very faint and a large bruise was starting to rise on her forehead.

"Who attacked you?" Lisa asked as she knelt down in front of Rowan, so that they were eye level.

"I don't know. They were hooded; it all happened to fast." Rowan explained. The moment she said 'hooded', Harrison, Lisa and Deakon all exchanged a look. In that moment, they all realized who the mystery attacker was; they just didn't want to say it out loud.

"Death Eaters." Harrison said after a few moments. Deakon nodded and looked back over to Rowan. She looked petrified and scared that they would come after her.


	19. Light as a Feather

The next day, Rowan had stayed home from work; since all of Hogsmeade Village was buzzing with the news of the Death Eater attack. Just as she settled down on her couch with some tea, preparing to read a book; her doorbell rang. Rowan stood and walked over to her front door. When she opened it, a large smile erupted from her face immediately.

There stood George Weasley, holding a gigantic sign that sang '_feeling under the weather? Eat Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Chocolates and you'll feel light as a feather!" _and holding a box of chocolates in his other hand.

"Hi George." Rowan said, as she moved to let him enter. He walked in and left the gifts on her dining room table; then he turned back around to look at her. He saw the bruise on her forehead and cast his eyes downward.

"I heard about what happened last night, there's big buzz about it going on at the ministry. Or so Dad says." George said, as he sat down on the couch that Rowan had just been occupying. Before Rowan could say anything, Konstantine flew in through her window. Landing next to George on the arm of the chair.

"Hello Konstantine." Rowan said as she grabbed the scrap of paper hanging in her beak. She recognized the writing as soon as she opened the brief letter.

_Rowan-_

_I have to be brief. We are being forced to move to a different location, I can't tell you where just yet. However, we just got word that some of the Death Eaters are going to be moving the hostages into the Shrieking Shack. Thought you aught to know._

_-Draco_

Rowan quickly crumpled up the letter and looked over to George.

"Who was that from?" He asked, as he could see her face looked serious and almost pained. Rowan thought for a moment, she wondered if she really wanted to bring George into this. She knew he was a part of the Order, but he hadn't really fought too much. Then again, neither had she.

"There's something we need to do." Rowan said, without a falter in her voice.


	20. Wands at the Ready

That night, Rowan snuck towards the main entrance of the castle after everyone had gone to sleep. This was where she told George to meet with her. Just as she arrived there, she saw George already waiting.

"You ready?" He asked almost immediately. There was no time for greetings; since they didn't know if the captures were still dead or alive. Then a voice stopped them dead in their tracks.

"Where are you going?" Rowan turned, and saw Virginia standing there with Jordan, hand and hand. Rowan wondered where the both of them had just been since it was the middle of the night.

"Look, Virginia…you gotta understand…" Rowan started but was soon cut off by Jordan.

"You're going after them aren't you?" He asked. There was a stressed silence all around them. They were trying their best to be quiet, because if they were caught they woud all be in serious trouble. Rowan sighed and exchanged a cautious look with George.

"You can't say no to us. Lynn is my best friend and I'm going to do what I can to help her out of this." Virginia said, crossing her arms across her chest. She looked at Rowan, almost as if it was challenge. What she didn't know, was that Rowan wouldn't have been able to say no to her either way.

"Come on, be quiet." Rowan said as they started to walk again. However, they didn't get very far.

"You're not going without us." The four of them turned around again and found Bradley and Alex standing there, watching them with the attitude of feign bravery.

"Is it like a rule that everyone has to be out after hours?" Rowan said, dropping her arms to her sides. She looked exasperated. She hadn't expected this to happen. It was just going to be George and herself. A get in; get out job. Now they were turning into a mini army.

"If we are going to do this, we've got to go. Now." George said calmly, as he started walking in the direction of the Entrance hall. He had the Marauders Map in hand; ready to take any short cut he could to avoid Filch. He had been given the Marauders Map back from Harry when he left to search for the Horcrux's. Once they were out onto the main grounds, they ran for it.

Rowan had never run so fast in her life. Bradley and Alex were in front, leading their way down the road towards Hogsmeade. It took close to a half an hour to reach the border of Hogsmeade and when they did the stopped for a moment.

"You said they were at the Shrieking Shack?" George asked quickly, trying to catch his breathe. Rowan nodded her head as she bent over, her chest in pain from running harder than she ever had. She looked around at everyone's flushed faces.

"Okay guys. Wands at the ready." They all took out their wands and held them tightly in their hands. They slowly walked through the quiet, closed town. Shivers ran up Rowan's arms. It was very eerie being in Hogsmeade while everything was dark and inactive. Finally, they were at the border of trees that separated Hogsmeade from the Shrieking Shack. They all took one last look at each other, so unsure of what was awaiting them.

George was the first to walk through the trees, and then Rowan followed. With Virginia close behind. Just mere minutes later, they were outside the house. It was rocking and creaking so loud that Rowan wasn't surprised people thought it was haunted.

"Wait!" Someone called out. Rowan turned and saw Draco running towards them. George walked in front of Rowan and pointed his wand at Draco. Draco stopped.

"Weasley, don't do anything stupid." Draco said, his voice shaking, as he held his hands up in surrender. Rowan saw the fleeting look of panic in his grey eyes. He looked at her, almost pleading with her to do something.

"Stupid would be letting you walk away without a scratch. Get _away_ from us." George said, the calm in his voice starting to falter. Everyone else watched in silence, not wanting to get themselves involved.

"Listen to me Weasley. What's inside that building is bigger than you and me. There are two Death Eaters in there who have orders to kill on sight if necessary." Draco said, letting his eyes linger a bit too long on Rowan. George lowered his wand for a moment, looking at Draco with malice fuming from his eyes.

"I'll take my chances."

Before Rowan let herself have second thoughts, they were stepping inside. They took very calculated steps, trying to make as little noise as possible. In the distance they could hear quiet chattering. It sounded like two people were talking to each other. A loud cackle resonated through the room; it sent horrified chills through Rowan.

She finally realized the seriousness of the situation. She was about to go into a room with real Death Eaters, when all she knew was a few measly counter curses. She knew theories, she knew stories…she didn't know how to fight. Let alone survive. If only Deakon were here. Within a few rapid seconds, George was poking his head around the corner with his wand, shouting "Expelliarmus!" at the first Death Eater he saw. Shouts and screams exploded within the room, echoing into Rowan's ears. She couldn't back down now.

Everyone, including herself burst into the room. Virginia was the first to see the hostages. They were stuffed in the corner of the room, their mouths gagged and their hands tied behind her back. Rowan caught sight of Virginia going over to the hostages. Lynn looked badly beaten. Knowing Lynn, she probably fought back, all that Gryffindor courage and look where it got her. She looked worse than the others. Next to Lynn was Cho Chang. Her usual long, straight black hair was tangled and seemed to have blood in it. When Rowan's eyes fell on the third year Ravenclaw, Orla Quirke. She had been gone the longest. She looked bad, but not as bad as Lynn.

Rowan ran towards Virginia, to help her untie Lynn's bound hands when she felt someone pull her back quickly. She fell on her back and looked up and found a Death Eater hovering over her. Rowan recognized her from the night Dumbledore died.

**Alecto.**

Rowan tried to stand but Alecto acted quicker. She slammed her foot into Rowan's chest. Causing all the air to get knocked out of her. Panic rose into her mind and quickly took over as she struggled to lift the chunky foot off of her chest. She couldn't breath and couldn't hear because of all the shouting and chaos going on around her.

Just as the lines of vision started to blur and darken, the weight was suddenly lifted from her. Alecto fell to the ground beside her and Rowan felt arms lift her up off the ground. She looked to see Draco, with a small grin on his face. They looked into each others eyes for barely more than a second before he left her side to assist Bradley and Alex get Amycus off of George. Seconds later, Amycus collapsed on the ground next to George. Bradley pulled him up as they all gawked at Draco. He stood there, one hand in his pocket, one on his wand. After a moment, George turned his attention back to the hostages, who Virginia was still trying to free. He went to Cho and hastily untied her. The second she was free from her bounds she began to cry. She hugged George, like she had never been so happy in her whole life. George let her cling to him for a moment, and then he turned to attend to Lynn. Once the three of them were untied, the made their way out of the Shrieking Shack. None of them wanted to be in there longer than they had to. Once they were outside, Lynn had to support her weight on Virginia and Jordan's shoulder. Bradley was carrying Cho and Alex was carrying Orla.

Rowan stopped walking. After a moment George noticed and turned back to her. Confusion written on his face.

"We can't just leave them here. They'll be out for blood when they wake up." Rowan said. George nodded and took his wand out of his back pocket. He pointed it into the sky.

"Periculum!" He yelled as red sparks flew out of his wand and into the still night air. Seconds later they burst, flying into every direction. He then put his wand away and spoke again to Rowan. They froze as Draco walked out of the shack, looking a bit worn. Rowan hadn't noticed before but his face looked gaunt, and deathly pale. As if he hadn't eaten in weeks, which Rowan was sure was the truth. George gave him one glance and then spoke.

"Any second the Ministry will arrive in investigate the sparks. I suggest you get away from here." He said to Draco, in a low, monotone voice. Draco barely nodded in response.

"I'll take him to my place. Hide him there until it's safe for him to leave." Rowan said. She could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't pleased with this plan, but he went along with it. All he cared about at this point was getting everyone back to castle safe and sound. Rowan met Draco's eyes for a split second before she started walking.

She was a few paces ahead of him and wasn't sure if he would follow, but soon she found him by her side as they walked silently into Hogsmeade and towards their safe haven.


End file.
